WWB OF NOTE: I wish I had introduced this book earlier in WWB’s history, because it looks at beauty the way I always intended to do with World Wise Beauty, from the inside out and wholistically.This is a beautiful and thoughtful book about appreciating beauty of all kinds and discovering the healing capacity of beauty not only for ourselves, but for the planet. It’s simple ambition would be to have us all ‘stop and smell the roses’ so we can be fully present and in the moment. On a deeper level, the book offers ways to counteract the ugliness of life with beauty manifesting in all it’s life forms ~Lauroly, Founder of World Wise Beauty

‘In a story from the Jewish tradition, the human soul before birth roams about the universe, collects a great deal of knowledge, sees much beauty, and thus is endowed with great wisdom. But just as birth is drawing near, the angel of death approaches and with his sword touches the soul on the forehead. At that moment, when the soul incarnates into the mass of nerves, organs, and muscles which make up what we are, the drama takes place: The baby being born forgets all it knows. Yet an inkling remains, a vague feeling of what is lost. This, the story tells us is why human beings are born crying, and why they seek, everywhere and all their lives, in confusion and desperation a beauty they feel they have lost. Is there really a soul before birth? I cannot say. And I do not know if we have a past life on other planes or in other worlds. But what interests me here is the experience of this life and this world. The Jewish myth seems to allude to a feeling many, perhaps all of us have; the impression of not belonging to this world. The feeling that makes us wonder ‘What am I doing here?”. Like the alien from the film ‘ The Man Who Fell from Earth” , who came to our planet from a faraway star and landed in an amusement park, we find the world around us strange, and bizarre, and sometimes absurd. And perhaps like him, we feel homesick for a cleaner, simpler, brighter world. Luckily we can see the opposite of what the Jewish story tells is also true when we observe children…’

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WWB’s Beauty Food of the Week is the Chia Seed. Some of you who are foodies may have heard a lot about this newly ordained ‘superfood’, while others may remember the ‘Pet Chia Plant’ craze of the early 80’s! Let’s skip over the chia plant story and get right to the ‘super’ facts about the Chia Seed. They actually go much further back than the 80’s and have been around for hundreds of years. Thanks to the Aztecs, Incas and Mayans rich cultural history (found in Mexico and South America), we know chia seeds were used as staple foods, but were also revered as a potent nutrient. The ancient Mayan culture called the powerful little seed ‘Chia’, which also meant ‘strength’. The seed became known by the Indians as ‘Running Food’ because of the sustained energy it gave runners and warriors of the time. So we can confidently say…never underestimate the super-power of chia seeds!

Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, protein and fiber, these now ‘trendy seeds’ are loaded with nutritional power. Wouldn’t it make sense then that they’d do just as much good for the outside of your body as the inside? Chia seeds are so rich in hormone balancing fatty acids, it only makes sense that they would be great for skin. The presence of ample fiber also helps in elimination and reduction of environmental toxins, which can lead to skin problems. Add in their incredible antioxidant power and you’ve got yourself a skin healing superfood.

The naturals and organic folks who are creating beauty and natural products for you are really in love with the Chia Seed right now, because these little seeds when cold pressed into an oil, work ‘miracles’ on the skin. Chia seed oil is super moisturizing. In the Mexican culture today Chia means ‘oily’ so this totally makes sense! It hydrates, rebuilds, protects, and calms the skin. The powerful antioxidants in the oil work to protect skin against damage from free radicals associated with aging and UV damage. You can reap the beneficial beauty benefits of chia in a bottle by checking out my Ideal Find or you can try your own DIY mask below.

CHIA SEED BEAUTY MASK

Avocados are high in Vitamin E which helps diminish the appearance of fine lines and Chia Seeds are rich in omega 3 fatty acids which help reduce inflammation. Paired together you have a ‘mighty’ spa treatment for your skin! As summer fun in the sun begins, you will want to take extra care good care of your skin…

Mash 1/2 of an avocado in a bowl

Add 3 tablespoons of ground chia seeds to avocado, mix well.

Apply mixture to face and neck, leave for 15-20 minutes.

Gently wash off with water.

Just as a wise reminder, when it comes to beauty products and ‘miracle ingredients’, I believe a good balanced diet filled with a plethora of all the beauty foods I feature at WWB contribute to healthy skin. So try to eat across the color spectrum of nature’s bounty as they all work together synergistically to beautify your skin. When seeking ‘enhancement’ from a bottle try to look for some of the super beauty foods featured here, that naturally nourish your body from the inside out. We all love a good ‘miracle’ but we also love wisdom. 😉

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Mother’s Day is this Sunday in America, and I think this Week’s Wisdom Wrap is just a perfect time to share these wonderful companies created by women and for women. There are many ‘values and ideals’ surrounding conscious consumerism and it is difficult to navigate all the issues surrounding the ‘production’ of things manufactured around the world. So rather than bombard you with all the controversial issues of industrialized manufacturing, I’d like to share some options that I think just might make you feel better about shopping for beautiful gifts. Actually you will feel really good because you’ll be contributing to the empowerment of talented women around the world. When we say ‘Pay it Forward’ you are literally doing just that.

You may have heard the term ‘Fair Trade’, but just in case you are unsureabout exactly what this is, let me enlighten you…

Simply stated, Fair Trade is a commitment to trade practices that are fair and equitable. It is an ‘ethical’ approach to sourcing products from communities ( often women led), so they can receive a fair living wage, safe working conditions, healthcare, education, financial assistance, and most importantly opportunity to create a life for themselves and their family. Doesn’t that sound good? This is an ideal alternative to sweat shops and factory made manufacturing. This is also a way for consumers to use their ‘purchasing power’ to help empower women around the world. Fair Trade is now in an explosive growth period and you will find many conscious companies ( often smaller entrepreneurs) creating companies around this business model.

This week I introduce you to two inspiring companies, doing a world of good led by wise women. WorldFinds is a pioneer in Fair Trade and is a wholesaler. You can’t purchase directly from them but you can find numerous retailers around the country who carry their products. For example right in my area is a lovely boutique called ‘Ten Thousand Villages’ and they offer many beautiful products, I am sure come from WorldFinds. I wanted to profile the wholesale company first so you could understand the supply chain and grasp the altruistic concept of Fair Trade. The other company Sudara ( formerly known as International Princess Project) I am profiling is fairly new but has recently re-branded. I think you will love what you discover on their site and you can still order a gift for Mother’s Day! At the very least, you will have discovered a beautiful ‘shop’ for future gifts and indulgences for yourself, that will feel good in your heart and on your body. Remember, the women who are creating these beautiful products for you are ‘mothers, daughters and aunties’ and your purchase is giving them a gift of freedom. Doesn’t get any more beautiful than that…

Affirming that fair trade, fashion, and longevity can coalesce, WorldFinds is celebrating fifteen years of successfully combining on-trend style with improving lives. They design, import, and wholesale fair trade gifts, jewelry and women’s accessories. For example in my area there is a beautiful shop called Ten Thousands Villagesand they carry the amazing gifts and accessories that are probably sourced from WorldFinds. Google Fair Trade shops in your neighborhood and you will find a world of beauty and good! WorldFinds is a proud member of the Fair Trade Federation since 2001, and partners with socially responsible artisan groups to ensure fair wages for the low-income artisans it supports. What I think is key, is they put equal emphasis on improving the artisans communities,, preserving cultural traditions, alleviating poverty and eradicating sweat shop child labor. This to me, is a true business model creating ‘Wellness Culture’.

You may already be familiar with one of Sudara’s popular brands ‘Punjammies’. I have shared on WWB’s Facebook and they have received press from all the major women’s fashion magazines, because they are ‘that beautiful’. But beyond the beauty of their products is their beautiful mission. Read on…

In 2005, Sudara founder Shannon Keith took a trip to India that opened her eyes to a tragedy occurring daily to women and girls throughout the country. She could hardly believe what she witnessed in India’s Red Light Districts—modern day slavery. Shannon listened to story after story of young girls being sold into the sex trade by their families, orphans picked up off the street by pimps, and even young mothers just trying to get enough money to feed their children. Many were held against their will. Others were trapped by economic poverty. Worst of all were the stories of those who managed to escape the brothels only to return due to social stigma and having no other means to survive. Prior to 2015 her project was called ‘The International Princess Project’ and now she has fully re-branded to ‘Sudara’. The brand Sudara is a tribute to the Indian word Sundara which means ‘beautiful’.

It is hard to believe that modern day slavery still exists.

Sometimes you just feel so helpless when you hear about the horrendous crimes, and you think to yourself, ‘how can shopping for ‘clothes’ help these poor women’? I ask you to read more about the Sudara program and their conscious business model, and you will understand how economic empowerment, positive alliances, and education is all connected to your purchase. Never underestimate the power of conscious consuming’ because you are indeed helping and making a difference in the lives of many women.

CONSCIOUS CONSUMERS MATTER

Now let’s get to the beautiful fashion forward products that are just gorgeous gifts for Mom and a delightful treat for yourself! Don’t forget to check out their beautiful on trend tops and tee-shirts! Below are a few product images of their ‘Punjammies’ to get you interested and then keep scrolling to learn more about a really cool temporary tattoo line by Conscious Ink. This line is so creative and a really fun way to express yourself without cutting you skin! And did I tell you…yay Sudara has gift cards!

I don’t have a tattoo myself but these temporary tattoos would be something creative I would try, and I love that they express wise and peaceful sentiments! Great for gifts, parties or a day when you just need to be reminded of the truth. Enjoy and wear often!

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There are so many ways to ‘wrap up the week’ but I thought ‘why not a Wisdom Weekly Wrap’! In this information driven world there is so much happening, and so much we miss! Maybe sometimes it’s just as well because we just can’t read everything! So why read WWB? Well, because I try really hard not to weigh down your e-mail box with daily posts, and technically I am really not your typical blogger at all. As founder of World Wise Beauty, I am a conduit to ‘ideals for wellness culture’. World Wise Beauty presents the best culturally relevant experts, inspirational authors, and visionaries to help you become “Comfortable in Your Own Skin” and cultivate your personal wellness lifestyle wisely. This is my personal passion, and through a lifetime of seeking wellness wisdom, I believe I have pretty good radar for finding what’s new, what’s next and most importantly what matters in wellness culture.

The quote above, ‘If you get the inside right, the outside will fall into place’ perfectly captures the wisdom I have gleaned from my Q&A’s this past week. It was my honor to present two beautiful wise women who really embrace ‘beauty from the inside out’ and have written excellent books to share their expertise and wisdom with you. I call many of my guest authors and experts ‘wise gurus’, but my aim is for you to see them as ‘guides’, because there is no one way to wellness, only your way. I hope you find wisdom that resonates personally and inspires you to enrich your wellness lifestyle. May you always be ‘comfortable in your own skin’ and enjoy the wrap…

Truly Herself,
Lauroly

P.S I also produce a quarterly newsletter and if your follow this blog ( via the subscribe button in right side-bar) you will automatically receive ‘The Take Out’ wellness wisdom to go…and of course you can opt out at any time.

DIET, FITNESS & LONGEVITY…

I don’t know whether you have heard, but the latest trendy diet is not the Mediterranean Diet. Au contraire, it is now the Nordic Diet. Between you and me, the Nordic Diet is gaining traction for the very same reasons the former diet has gained notoriety. It places big emphasis on plants and approaches diet with a philosophy of moderation. I will let you read more via the link I have provided above but I want you to meet a real international wellness expert from Denmark (originally from Iceland) who really is an inspiration especially for woman 40+ and over. Meet ‘Thorbjorg’ and learn why you don’t have to look forward to getting old, sick and tired as you age. She is all about optimum health from the inside out and shares an integrated wellness program called ’10 Years Younger, in 10 Weeks’ (also the title of her book). See my Q&A with her and I promise you will feel optimistic about getting older and living with energy and vitality!

”Just because you’re technically getting older doesn’t mean you have to feel that way. Women are beautiful, inside and out, regardless of their age.” ~Thorbjorg

BEAUTY NUTRITION…

How many of us have tried a skin care potion promising ever-lasting beauty or miracle cures for chronic skin conditions? It is so alluring to hope that a formula in a bottle will make our wishes come true. After all, it says it will right on the bottle! Well, maybe it will and maybe it won’t. But if you don’t take care of the biggest organ of your body ( skin) from the inside out you are going to age faster and develop ‘reactive’ skin conditions. Each of us is different and posesss our own qunique bio-individuality, and we all have different ‘triggers’ for our skin problems. Like everything else in your body, your skin needs balanced nutrition, good sound sleep and stress management.

My next featured author and expert ‘Jolene Hart’ was a Beauty Editor by profession and experienced her own annoying skin condition as she reviewed and tried hundreds of miracle ( commercial & pharmaceutical) potions. None of them seemed to do the trick until she addressed and revamped her overall lifestyle and began to ‘nourish’ her body from the inside…out. As she embarked on her wellness journey she discovered her true passion and became a Certified Health Coach, specializing in Beauty Nutrition. Now she is taking her experience and expertise on the road with her comprehensive and beautiful book ‘Eat Pretty, Nutrition for Beauty Inside & Out. I love her opening of the book which she entitled ‘Find Your Healthy Vanity’. This is one of my favorite ‘beauty’ books I have ever come across, and so very wise.

WOMEN IN THE WORLD SUMMIT

I was invited to the opening ceremony of the Women in the World Summit produced by Tina Brown and the New York Times. It was so exciting to be at Lincoln Center in NYC in a huge theater teaming with women committed to saving and changing the world. The women who participated in the panels were truly World Wise Beauties and came from all over the world. In the words of Tina Brown “They are activists, artist, entrepreneurs, fighters, journalists, peacemakers and rabble-rousers.” And they were so inspiring! I was fortunate to see and hear Meryl Streep talk about the power of story and how we need more women exploring hot-button issues through a female lens. She was so articulate, authentic and comfortable in her own skin. I think the reason we all love her as an actress is her natural wisdom and inner depth that she taps into and brings to all her characters. I attended this event and loved the energy in the room, but you too can ‘live stream’ the event and enjoy the entire program.

Follow this link http://nytlive.nytimes.com/womenintheworld/ and enjoy the tracks spread over the last three days. Angelina Jolie Pitt closed the event today with a powerful call to action that you won’t want to miss. She asked the audience”Who among us thought we’d see in the 21st century images of women sold in cages, young girls sold in sex slavery?” I’ll say no more…

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The World Wise Beauty ‘Passioneer’ Series

I am super excited to present my next ‘Passioneer’ because her story and her work speaks so much to the mission of World Wise Beauty. In Jolene Hart’s case she literally wanted so badly to be her ‘comfortable in her own skin’. You’ll find out just how she finally did that, but also how she found her passion and calling along the way. Jolene worked her way up to a Beauty Editor position for a top women’s publication and had a fun job exploring beauty products and reporting the latest and greatest to us. What was very ironic and frustrating for her, is secretly she was struggling with chronic skin problems which she could not get under control.

As she became a seeker of all things medicinal and topical for her skin, Jolene discovered her ‘Passion’ for health and wellness and her own personal cure for her skin problems in what she calls the ‘Eat Pretty Pantry’. She shares her story in more detail in her lovely book ‘Eat Pretty’ Nutrition for Beauty Inside and Out, which is truly a comprehensive guide to ‘beauty nutrition’. Now a Certified Health Coach, and contributing journalist to all the top beauty magazines, Jolene shares her knowledge and expertise in nutrition and guides us on how to achieve beauty and radiance from the inside out. Let’s learn more about Jolene and her passion for beauty, health and wellness…

~TrulyHerself, Lauroly

Lauroly- Welcome Jolene to World Wise Beauty. I am honored to present your work and wonderful book ‘Eat Pretty, Nutrition for Beauty Inside and Out’ because as mentioned in my intro everything you write about speaks to World Wise Beauty’s mission. My mission is to help women become comfortable in their own skin by celebrating and exploring ideals for wellness culture, and your beautiful mission is to give women of all ages real tools to create a unique healthy lifestyle of beauty. As mentioned in your professional intro, you have been a beauty editor for many years but finally took your own personal wellness journey and became a certified health coach by the Institute for Integrative Nutrition. It’s wonderful that you were able to marry your passion for beauty with health and wellness. You are a true Passioneer! Cultivating beauty from the inside out is so important and most definitely makes you feel ‘Comfortable in Your Own Skin’! Why don’t we first talk about your certification as a Health Coach. What can a Health Coach specifically help someone with?

Jolene Hart: As a health coach, I help my clients create a personalized lifestyle that supports their healthiest, most beautiful self. I find that we all have different needs, different schedules, different activity and stress levels, as well as different beauty concerns and issues that we’re prone to, and I help my clients learn to address those from the inside out. My emphasis is on diet first and foremost, and that usually involves teaching my clients how to eat for energy and beauty, creating personalized recipes, walking them through tasks like meal planning, and sometimes doing trials to identify and eliminate foods that may be causing issues. I don’t do medical testing or prescribe medication, but I do see food as medicine! I also work on self-care aspects of wellness, from safe personal care to mindfulness practices. In general, health coaches are fantastic for helping you make real-life, practical lifestyle changes that support your doctor’s regular, preventative care.

Lauroly Q- It was always very interesting to me, when I worked in the beauty ‘business’ that one of the hot emerging areas was ‘nutraceuticals’. The beauty industry had caught on to ‘beauty from the inside out’ and now they were going to create ‘supplements’ and drinks specifically for beauty. Magic potions and lotions always sound exciting but I couldn’t help but think ‘why not just eat a diet full of beautifying nutrients in whole foods.’ Nutrients need to be ‘synthesized’ in the body and this is what most of us forget. Cremes can enhance and supplements can boost but ultimately your real beauty is going to come from the inside out! Along comes your perfect book Jolene, to educate us and tie nutrition and beauty together in one beautiful organized book presentation. And it’s packed with delicious recipes too! What makes you even more interesting is while you were working as a ‘Beauty Editor’ you struggled with your own skin condition. You had to be thinking ‘ there’s got to be a miracle creme for me out there!”. Tell us how you began to see the bigger picture of inner beauty….

Jolene Hart: When I look back, it’s almost embarrassing how long it took me to realize that there was no miracle cream that was going to fix my skin issues! Even though I was brought up appreciating that food was a form of medicine, there was zero awareness of the nutritional connection to beauty at the time. Over the course of about 10 years, I sought advice from many skin experts and I was told again and again that there was no diet-acne connection. It took me a very long time to be brave or desperate enough to question that status quo by experimenting on myself, and changing my diet, career and lifestyle in the process. Of course it all seems much more obvious now, but at the time it was groundbreaking in the industry, as you saw for yourself!

Lauroly Q- It’s hard to resist the promise of miracle cures and the allure of beauty potions. What is wonderful and wise is you tuned out and found your passion through the process! Can I just say again, how I love how you presented information and organized your book. Chapter 4 is called a ‘Beautiful Kitchen for All Seasons’ and I love your ‘Eat Pretty’ pantry concept. To be upfront I do a ‘Beauty Food’ post every week and I often share their connections to world cultures and ancient rituals. I think it was brilliant to focus on the seasons because our bodies are synced with nature much more than we realize. Did you take some cues from Chinese Medicine & Philosophy when you thought to do this? What schools of thought in nutrition were you most influenced by? I would imagine as an integrative health coach you embrace many disciplines, but do you have a personal leaning towards one? You have a wonderful dedication to your Mom in the opening of your book who taught you that ‘food was medicine’. Sounds like she was very wise…

Jolene Hart: Isn’t the seasonal connection to beauty so profound? You are absolutely right— I love how the teachings of Chinese Medicine inform our understanding of our body’s seasonal needs, and Eastern teachings in general, from Chinese Medicine to Ayurveda, were powerful influences on me as I created my Eat Pretty approach. The best part is that it’s all very commonsense, and it feels like we are reconnecting to nature and our bodies when we eat this way. And I also love that you picked up on my book dedication; my mom is the number one reason that I had enough foundational knowledge and confidence in the healing power of food to try my own path to healing my skin. She is a former nurse with a lifelong fascination for food and nutrition knowledge, as well as a fantastic cook. She let my siblings and I into the kitchen to cook with her from the time we were babies, and her nuanced appreciation of the way foods affect our bodies powerfully influenced me.

Lauroly Q- Your book is just enchanting. I say enchanting because everything is so pretty and inviting to read! With a title like ‘Eat Pretty’ I guess it ought to be! We must give a shout out to your cover designer Hillary Caudle and illustrator Vikki Chu. Bravo! Because it so well designed you managed to pack in (without being cumbersome) ‘four seasons of eating pretty’ and a special chapter called ‘Beauty Beyond Your Plate’. Chapter 9 is a very important chapter because it connects all the dots when we think of beauty from the inside out. Besides nutrition, what wellness area do you think is overlooked or underestimated when it comes to staying healthy, beautified and rejuvenated?

Jolene Hart: I agree that both Hillary and Vikki are incredibly talented and did an amazing job capturing the spirit of the book in its design! As for the most underappreciated aspect of beauty, both digestive health and hormonal balance tie for spot number one in my mind. I’m constantly trying to deepen my knowledge of both areas, because I see such a powerful connection between beauty and those aspects of health in my own life and in the lives of my clients. They’ve both retained an air of mystery in the past, but I find that learning as much as we can about digestion and our hormones helps us to appreciate how much we actually influence them with simple day-to-day actions like chewing, breathing, mindfulness, etc. Just very small changes to the way we think, eat and act can have an amazing impact on our beauty.

Lauroly Closing:Thank you so much for writing your lovely book Jolene. It is definitely a book every Mom should give their daughters and every daughter should give their Mom! I know my readers will run out or click-through here to purchase your book. I was fortunate to discover it in a local shop where I live and it of course caught my eye because it was so pretty! What I didn’t expect was how comprehensive and wise it would be. I can’t say enough! I hope more people are inspired to consider ‘health coaching’ because life get so busy and our health can take a back seat when we are overwhelmed. Learn more about Jolene’s health coaching services by visiting her website and don’t forget to follow her on all the social channels!

Jolene Hart: Thank you so very much for this thoughtful interview, for your kind words and support of Eat Pretty, and for your own pioneering work in connecting beauty and wellness for women everywhere! I’m so thrilled that we had the chance to connect our like minds and I hope that this little glimpse into beauty nutrition will give other women the curiosity and inspiration to explore the topic further. All my best to you and World Wise Beauty Lauroly!

P.S I noticed Jolene was featured in a brand new on-line beauty boutique called ‘Philtre’ along side of one of my favorite ‘Ideal Finds’ Innersense Organic Beauty. Learn more about it on her website and follow my Ideal Finds section to discover beauty, health and wellness products with beautiful conscious values. Cultivate beauty from the inside…out!